Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
South Valley Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
West Jordan, Utah 84081
Tuesady, October 4, 2011 13:15 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On the morning of the accident, the pilot and the new owner arrived at the airport to pick up the airplane. The previous owner saw that their total weight was greater than he had been told during an earlier inquiry and advised the flight instructor and the new owner that their total weight might put the airplane near its maximum allowable gross weight. He also advised them not to add any more fuel than was already onboard, and then handed them the weight and balance sheet for the airplane. Subsequently, witnesses saw the airplane take off and ascend at an extremely low rate of climb. When another pilot waiting to take off asked whether they were having any technical difficulties, the accident pilot responded that there was nothing wrong but that it was just a “weak airplane.” About 1/2 mile after passing the departure end of the runway, the pilot initiated a right turn but failed to maintain sufficient airspeed, resulting in the airplane stalling and descending into the terrain. The postaccident investigation determined that the airplane was being operated above its maximum allowable gross weight and that it was being operated in a density altitude that was 2,120 feet higher than the field elevation. An engine teardown examination determined that both of its carburetors had jet needles installed that produced a richer-than-normal fuel-air mixture. This was due to an incorrect reassembly after an overhaul of the carburetors. The weight of the airplane, the high density altitude, and the overly rich fuel-air mixture most likely combined to significantly reduce the performance of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and airplane control while initiating a turn during the initial climb after takeoff in a high density altitude environment, above the airplane’s maximum allowable gross weight, and with an overly rich fuel-air mixture due to improper carburetor maintenance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/4/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | West Jordan |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84081 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403616N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1115856W |
| Event Location Airport | South Valley Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U42 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 4608 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 340 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSLC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4227 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30900 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2013 10:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N91BV |
| NTSB Number | WPR12FA001 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | VAUGHN |
| Aircraft Model | PULSAR |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 146 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 30 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 248 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SUNDSTROM CHRISTOPHER R |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SARATOGA SPRINGS |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84045-3245 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Jared K. Despain |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Nephi |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 84648 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | U42 |
| Departure City | West Jordan |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1314 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | U14 |
| Destination City | Nephi |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 4 2013 10:46AM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 5860 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |